Client Refusing to pay Invoices older than 3 months

[Terry reilly]

Hi everyone,

I am looking for some advice. I am currently working for a client ( who has kept me very very busy with a lot of working abroad) and i have fallen behind with my invoices. I have not submitted invoices since September 2017, and i have just received an email saying they are reminding me that they "don't pay invoices older than 3 months".

I don't have a written contract with the client, everything is done verbally and i contract direct with them (not via an agency). I used to be an employee of them about 10 years ago which is why they agreed to give me work on contract as i was familiar with their work.

I had an issue the previous year where i had not invoiced for out of pocket expenses for 6 months and when i submitted my invoices, they refused to pay anything before April 2017 as this had passed their end of business year. It was only a few hundred pounds, so i took it as a loss.

They have never formally written to me regarding this 3 month rule, the only time anything was mentioned was regarding my expenses invoices and they said they would only pay back the 3 previous months.

But now i have about 25-30K of work to invoice for dating back from October 2017.

Can they refuse to pay anything older than 3 months?

I appreciate any good advice i look forward to hearing from you.

Regards

Terry

 

[Newchodge]

Invoice them. Detail exactly what you are invoicing them for. if they don't pay within your payment terms send them a letter before action. If they don't pay, take them to court. Legally you have 6 YEARS to get them, to pay, not 3 months.

I would be very inclined to also chase them for the previous unpaid invoice, unless you agreed in writing that you would waive your charge.

And do something to keep yopur admin up to date, even if it means paying someone to do it for you.

 

[Mark T Jones]

No, they can’t refuse to pAy as long as you can reasonably demonstrate that you did the contracted work.

But really, failing to invoice, not once but twice? This is a basic business faux pas.